uncomfortable silences
by splendorousfire
Summary: "If you were Fire Lord, what would you do?" Oneshot. Tyzula Month.


Four teenagers lounged in the shadow of a breathtaking waterfall. They were on Ember Island and were uncertain if their relationship is better or worse after their bonfire last night. Sitting around the house was awkward, but sitting around here was fitting.

Ty Lee tried her best not to look at Azula too much, but she didn't want to arouse suspicion by avoiding her either. It was all way too complicated and she didn't know how to hide how she felt anymore. She wondered how she did that for so long, and she wondered how long she could keep it up.

She dove into the crystal clear water and quickly resurfaced. It was _cold_! But it meant she didn't have to do any talking.

"Come here," Azula said, standing up. She had been in the shadows for the beginning of the afternoon but she was snapping her fingers at Mai and Zuko.

They stared at her for a moment, until Mai stood up and Zuko followed her.

"Yes?" Mai asked.

"Grab my legs," Azula ordered, and it took a few moments for them to figure it out.

The two took her and assisted a flawless backflip into the water.

She was not a fan of water, but it was sweltering, and she couldn't help but show how magnificent she was at jumping into water. She was not nearly as pathetic as these three.

Ty Lee swam into Azula by accident and their legs brushed against each other. Then, as they tried to pull away, their arms brushed against each other.

The water didn't feel so cold when they felt that spark.

When their eyes met, it was obvious, but neither wanted to risk making that assumption.

An hour later, the mood shifted, but Ty Lee and Azula were still afraid of each other.

"This conversation is boring," Mai complained, lying down on the rocks like a reptile sunning itself, except in the darkness cast by the trees.

Azula was in the sun, and Ty Lee made sure Zuko was in between them.

"Okay, okay, okay…" Ty Lee knew this was falling on her. She was the best at it. "Alright, so, if you had the power to do anything you wanted, what would you do?"

"Well, when I am Fire Lord and—"

"When you're what?" Zuko loudly interrupted. He sounded downright vicious and Azula loved it.

"Fire Lord," she fearlessly replied.

"That's what I'm going to be," Zuko insisted.

"Well, why do you think I took you out here into the middle of nowhere. I am going to drown you." Azula smirked. "No, that would be too boring. I would go for far more extravagance. Fine, _if_ I was Fire Lord—like perhaps if my father loved me more than my brother—I would do a number of things."

"Okay, new question, if you were Fire Lord, what would you do?" Ty Lee directed it at Mai, because she did _not_ like the tension between the royal siblings. If it was balanced between them, it would be better.

Mai saw the eyes on her. Of course.

"My reign of tyranny would be remembered forever," she said, and it was unclear if she was being sarcastic or not. "I'd execute people just all the time, and outlaw everything that annoys me."

"So, everything. You would outlaw everything," Azula interrupted.

"Pretty much, yeah. I'd probably get assassinated or something, but it would be slightly fun while it lasted," Mai said.

Ty Lee pouted her lips and narrowed her eyes. Then she nodded.

"Okay," Ty Lee said, "I would completely be the prettiest—second prettiest—Fire Lord ever—"

"Who's the prettiest?" Zuko asked. "My father can't possibly…"

"Azula would be the prettiest Fire Lord ever," Ty Lee confidently replied.

"I know," Azula interjected with a fake yawn.

"Anyway, I'd completely up morale in the war and maybe, hm, conquer some places so I could name them after myself. Oh, and rescue a bunch of cats."

"I understand the conquering," Azula said, "but I am lost on the cat rescue."

"Well, the palace is huge and I love cats. I could rescue so many kitties. And no one could stop me!" Ty Lee smiled. She had some devious plans in the back of her mind, but she wasn't going to let her friends know.

"I am somehow not surprised by that. Your turn, ZuZu. What dreams of your dominion were crushed when you were banished?" Azula said in a faux sympathetic tone. She batted her eyelashes.

"I never thought about it," Zuko said and even Mai laughed. Azula almost fell in the water and he almost pushed her in.

"You _never thought about_ being Fire Lord when you were crown prince? We know you fantasized about all the sex. Don't worry; you were a thirteen year old boy and we understand," Azula purred. She was lucky Zuko did not punch her. Ozai would definitely kill him if he punched her; it was the only thing holding him back.

"I don't know. I had a lot of really serious ideas about war and infrastructure," Zuko honestly answered.

"Even Azula isn't that boring," Mai remarked, disgusted. "Agni."

"I am _far_ from boring when it comes to my schemes. I would tell you all my plans, but I want them to be a surprise," Azula said, carelessly shrugging.

"That's somehow the scariest thing I've ever heard," Mai said.

The silence made Ty Lee squirm, but her friends did not mind.

"Oh, who'd be your Fire Lady?" Ty Lee asked, trying to revive the conversation. "I'd have such a hard time choosing the perfect girl."

She thought that was subtle enough.

"A girl?" Zuko was the one to ask, of course.

"Yeah. I mean boys are amazing but have you ever seen a girl?" Ty Lee said, her heart pounding out of control. Azula was _unreadable_.

"All of you would make me Fire Lady, and you know it," Mai said.

Ty Lee sighed. "I know you're my friend and all, but if you were the last person in the world, I wouldn't sleep with you."

"I'm trying not to be offended, but I am," Mai said, meeting Zuko's gaze. He shrugged at her.

"What about Zuko?" Mai demanded.

"Oh, yeah, I'd sleep with Zuko," Ty Lee chimed brightly without a moment of thought. Azula's jealous expression was impossible to miss – by anyone other than Ty Lee.

"You would sleep with Zuko, but not me? That's such a lie," Mai said, uncertain if she was still mocking Ty Lee. She was admittedly disappointed.

"I wouldn't," Ty Lee repeated. "I wouldn't sleep with you ever, Mai."

"What about me?" Azula asked after carefully considering the move. Tactics were invaluable when it came to _crushes_ , or whatever this infatuation was.

Ty Lee sat there for a moment with her eyes wide and panicked. She couldn't think of a word to say.

Mai sat up straight. This soaking and hot afternoon just got interesting.

"The uncomfortable silence means yes," she said. "A _serious_ yes. Should I leave you two alone for a while?"

Azula desperately changed the subject after fantasizing about murdering Mai.

"I would sleep with you, Mai. I hope that helps your bruised ego. But if I did rule the entire world, I would not choose you as my Fire Lady. Or Zuko. Zuko, you wouldn't be my Fire Lady. Which I suppose leaves only Ty Lee. I'll try not to be too disappointed."

"I would be honored to be your Fire Lady, princess," Ty Lee said, her heart pounding out of control. She could barely rein in her excitement.

Azula covered her tracks.

"Good. Then murder my brother for me," she said, lying back and closing her eyes.

"I would murder so many people for you," Ty Lee remarked before realizing that she did not sound very playful. She sounded as serious as she was.

Mai sighed.

"This is disgusting," she complained. "Let's play truth or dare. I dare you both to kiss."

Matchmaking at its finest, Mai thought.

"As if," Azula replied, and it was the weakest lie she had ever told.

"You can't turn down a dare. It's just us," Zuko said, more than happy to torment his sister, and Mai gave him a brief nod of approval.

"I don't turn down dares," Ty Lee said and Azula again did not show any emotion one way or another. Ty Lee wanted to just drown herself to escape the situation.

"Well, neither do I," Azula said and Mai tried not to throw up.

And that was their first kiss.

A dare, on Ember Island, in front of Mai and Zuko, while fantasizing about a joint reign of tyranny.

Not bad, as far as first kisses go.


End file.
